Black and red midrange deck that uses the discard/madness mechanic for value and card advantage. After playing and honing this deck, it is truly a deck of patience and skill, in contrast to the reckless nature of Rakdos, and an all-in win strategy. There are two key types of cards that are necessary to overall function of this deck: Cards that have you discard, and cards that want to be discarded and take advantage of the madness cost, or would rather be in the graveyard.
Discard mechanics: (4) Faithless Looting is our main card advantage. I would not recommend playing on the first few turns though, getting some mana down in the early turns so that you can take spend it on Madness card while drawing cards take full advantage of this card. It can also be used to clean up a bad opening hand if need be. (4) Insolent Neonate is another key discard machine and is welcome any stage of the game. (3)
Gathan Raiders
and (2)
Trespasser il-Vec
not only allow us to discard, but are some of our main beat-sticks. (1)
Mad Prophet
and (1)
Lightning Axe
serve as utility discard engines where needed. Mad Prophet alone is a powerful engine this deck needs, but having no more than 1 in the main because he can also be dead weight in the hand as well.
Madness Value: (4) Grave Scrabbler is an amazing card, being able to bring back the Neonate to set up additional discard engine, or bringing back our bigger beatsticks. (1)
Gorgon Recluse
: 2/4 deathtouch for 2 cmc, the double black can be a bit steep in the early game, I just have one for now, but I would not recommend more than 2 in the main. (3) Fiery Temper; in some case, slightly better than Lightning Bolt itself in this deck. Then, my favorite card in this deck: (3)
Psychotic Episode
: like
Thoughseize
but looks at the top card of the library too, and puts it into the bottom of the library instead of the graveyard! IMO, in many cases in Pauper, it's better to keep stuff out of your opponent's graveyard.
Graveyard Dwellers: (4)
Viscera Dragger
and (3)
Dregscape Zombie
can be Unearthed for additional unexpected damage.
Other good stuff: (2) Gurmag Angler, because he's the best! But not too many, we still kind of need our graveyard intact a lot of the time. (4) Lightning Bolt and (1) Read the Bones.
Sideboard: There is some good stuff here: (2)
Kris Mage
is our go-wide 1/1 removal. (2)
Reckless Abandon
and (2) Dark Withering for addition creature removal. (1) Ingot Chewer for artifact removal (I might opt for a couple more of these), an addition
Psychotic Episode
and (2)
Brain Gorgers
in case we're pair up against a creature-lite deck. For a removal heavy opponent: (2) Call to the Netherworld (free graveyard recursion), (2) Macabre Waltz, and (1) Reckless Dreams.
Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions! It's a very fun, highly strategic deck that rewards you for precision play!
